My Favorite Dessert Remixed

Remixed you say?

On a late night, looking in the fridge for a light snack, saw an apple, and craved it with my favorite chocolaty peanut butter (ugh! need to buy more soon).
How's about adding an extra crunch and a little nice spice?
The perfect bite sized dessert for any chocolate addict, you can add as much Dark Chocolate Dreams as you wish...

1 apple, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter
2-3 walnuts for each slice
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Spread peanut butter on each apple slice.
Place a few walnuts into the peanut butter.
Sprinkle desired amount of cinnamon.
Eat and share if desired.

Add fragrant cinnamon sticks if feeling artsy.

These were gone in a matter of seconds.

Very easy to make and delicious to eat.
But a warning disclaimer here: this may become addictive!

Vegan Zucchini Apple Bread Cake

Pieces of chopped zucchini & apple make this a delightful Sunday brunch treasure.

Down to the last zucchini & knew I wanted to make a bread.
It's something I just used to enjoy eating, especially homemade.
More than for salt & pepper dishes, this zucchini featured special treat is best moist, spicy, sweet, & nutty,
Google search lead me to The Clean Eating Mama's recipe for Vegan Zucchini Bread Muffins.
Though with some minor pluses and minuses here and there, I used her recipe as an exceptional basis to satisfy my craving.

Captured in beautiful Black & White With Raspberry Preserves.

Vegan Zucchini Apple Bread Cake Ingredients and Preparation

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup finely chopped zucchini
1 chopped small apple
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 cup plain soy milk (8th Continent is always great!)
1 teaspoon cocoa (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease/flour a nine inch cake pan.

After dicing my zucchini & apples, I hand mixed them with squeezed lemon. Optional step of course.

After blending dry & wet ingredients add zucchini/apple mixture.

Until evenly coated.

Place aromatic baby into the oven & wait about 25-30 minutes- always making sure to fork it!

Pretty!

Mmmmmhmmmmm.

Perfect!
Rich, soft triangular paradise, the brown sugar sweetness, warm fragrant spices, bits of chopped zucchini and apple, and crunchy walnuts tastes utterly divine. I highly suggest eating alone, but if companions are so desired-  fresh fruit, preserves or a smidgeon of peanut butter along with a mug of tea or hot chocolate will do nicely.
So very, very good!

Guacamole And Baked Kale Chips!

Walking back from 2nd Street Market overly enthused about making delicious snacks!

Another thing I've always wanted to make- guacamole. Yeah buddy!
Who doesn't love a big bowl of mashed avocado madness?
And what shall one have as the perfect crunchy companion? Baked kale chips of course! Almost had a little tragedy.
My usual local favorite booth ran out of freshly grown cilantro and I kept staring at parsley, basil, and other leaves, wondering if any other herb could be a replacement. (Of course not!)
Thankfully, another farmer's booth had the coveted cilantro.
Otherwise how would great guac be made?
Sheesh, I know one thing- never going back to the market at noon.
Early birds really do get the worms.
Or in my case- cilantro.

Part 1: Guacamole

Ingredients

2 ripened avocados
2 tablespoons lemon juice/ zest
2 small Roma tomatoes
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
1 1/2 tablespoon thinly chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mash avocado, adding lemon juice and cilantro.

Mash with back of spoon and stir hardcore.

Bring diced Roma tomatoes, chopped green onions, and a teaspoon of olive oil to top.

Mash and stir, adding salt and pepper.

Voila! Delicious guacamole. Ready to be refrigerated and dying to be savored with kale chips!

Part 2

Kale Chips

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoons salt and pepper
1 chopped kale bunch

1 massaged kale batch ready to be baked.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Rinse, pat dry, and remove center stem from each individual kale.

Cut into medium sized chunks.
Massage into olive oil and salt.
Layer onto a cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Part 3: Taste Testing The Combination

Crisp, thin kale chips meet guacamole!

Looking green.

Cannot even hold it down. Poor kale chip.

Yum! Yum! Yum!!!!!!
I made sure to only consume a modest, super model sized portion, lol. ;)
However, it's unbelievably difficult when kale chips have that delicate crunch and right amount of salt, and covered with awesome kick butt zesty guacamole. Don't want to toot my own horn here, but darn this is just so deliciously addictive that chocolate may have competition in the food drug department.
Yes. I was a bit discouraged after yesterday's ice cream not ice cream fiasco.
However, this takes the cake.
A rewarding combination snack- thin, crispy, and tastefully interesting, kale had humorous difficulty holding up rich, creamy guacamole- with its Roma tomato sweetness, cilantro bliss, and chunks of avocado.
For only $6 with fresh, quality ingredients from the market, I should plan on making more next Saturday- you know, as opposed to everyday. Haha! :)

My 1st Homemade Vegan Ice Cream

Ice Cream In A Blender- An Experimental No Or Yes?

When first heard about using a frozen banana as a basis for ice cream, I was surprised and ecstatic!
But I don't have an ice cream maker or a processor. How can I make it?
Well, a blogger suggested that a blender could be used.
Skeptical and still very excited, I decided to test it out after dinner.

Only 3 items?

Ingredients

1 large frozen solid ripened banana
7 pitted and diced cherries
2 tablespoons Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter

Peel and chop banana. Personally, I think it probably best to have peeled before freezing. My mistake!

Ready the cherries.

Add all ingredients into the blender and stir until reached desired texture.

Awww. Mine turned out goopy, but at least I had a real cherry on top!

I may have over did some blender buttons.
Should been strictly mix and blend.
Finger did accidentally slip on that liquify option! But only for a second...
My concoction was texturally a smooth, half chunky smoothie, combined with crunchy walnut "sprinkles," random bits of bananas and cherries were sweetly delightful. Cold and velvety, it does taste reminiscent to ice cream, in a fresher, most intriguing way. Plus the chocolaty peanut butter gave a minor note, seeming to harmoniously enrich two fruits together while fighting to come to the surface. May add an extra half teaspoon for next time.
Cringe worthy to note, but just last year, I enjoyed artificial fruit shakes/beverages from various restaurants, especially the cherry ending.
Now I know that nothing beats the real thing and that creating your own unique ice cream blend is a deliciously fun experiment! Definitely something to do with kids. By using fresh fruit, no extra sugar, dairy free options, and ingredients one can actually pronounce, wonders of the taste bud imagination can go so very far with one frozen banana.
So with this ice cream (frozen yogurt maybe?), it's not a downright failure, but I have ideas on making this blossom to full potential!

Got A Little Curried Away...

Curried veggie stir fry with black beans.

Once again, I used another dish with curry, having fallen in love last night!
With a bit of last week's market vegetables waiting to be used, now seemed a good time to put that zucchini, squash, and readily cooked asparagus to the forefront.
Why not have a little Thursday night stir fry?
The idea sounded so tasty in my mind, especially with curry happiness sprinkled on top!

Ingredients
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup, drained and rinsed canned black beans
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 medium squash, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cup asparagus
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
2 teaspoons curry powder

Bring brown rice to a boil. This is the 10 minute kind.

Zucchini and squash- sliced together.

Drained and rinsed black beans. This takes a lot of that excess saltiness away.

Zucchini & squash getting hot with olive oil, garlic, & balsamic vinegar in a preheated skillet- set at medium heat.

Cover for about 3- 5 minutes. Flip the veggies over. Repeat.

Add asparagus. Now this was cooked days ago. So it doesn't need to be heated that long.

Lastly, toss in black beans, rice, and seasonings. Stir for 2-3 minutes more & cover.

Voila!

Very satisfying!
OMG!
Incredibly addictive. So hard to put down the fork to write a sentence, much less think coherently.
There's just something about that sweet savory curry that makes the world disappear in a marvelous blend of compelling spices. On the plate, it brings a delightful specialness to the stir fry and for once, I'm not thinking, "what if I add this? Or what if I add that?"
It's perfect all on its own.

Sweet Curry Tempeh

Curried Tempeh With Leftover Brussels Sprouts, Chickpeas, And Spinach Salad.

My bff bought me a spice I've yearned to try- curry powder.
Cumin, turmeric, coriander, black pepper, fenugreek (what is that?), red pepper, ginger, celery, & cardamon come together in this one little canister to bring a rich, exotic flavor to dishes.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 block prepared tempeh (see instructions below)
2 sprigs basil
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry powder

Dice up tempeh.
In a small bowl, blend 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings blend, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Soak tempeh cubes in the mixture, making sure to evenly coat.
Heat skillet on medium, adding olive oil & garlic.
Gradually toss in mushrooms & balsamic vinegar.
Pour tempeh into the skillet.
Cover.
Should take 5 minutes on each side, until browned.

Yummy. Look how balsamic vinegar beautifully darkens the mushrooms.

Add basil and cover again.

Paired with leftovers for a more fulfilling meal.

Mmmmmhmmm, good.
Curry is so darn mmmmmmhmmmmmmm.
I could eat this over and over.
It's like having cake with no frosting. Well, a spicy vegetable cake that is.
That tempeh is really something. I quite enjoyed the two ways of utilizing it on the skillet this week, especially with that delicious curry blend! At only $2.49, it's reasonably affordable and the thought of experimenting further brings about secret cheer leading abilities. Bookmarked a couple of recipes, including raw ones, so be on the lookout for more tempeh loving in the future! ;)
As for the curry, I think I'll just sprinkle a little of this powder on my tongue before bed....

Super Moist Vegan Blueberry Yogurt Pancakes

The Delicious Ingredient In Today's Pancakes!

Pancakes again?
Its not even Saturday.
Not even remotely close to the weekend.
Is it okay to have a hump day pancake?
I say yes and no one better disagree! Haha. :)

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup soy milk (I used 8th Continent, my fave!)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
3/4 container of So Delicious Cultured Blueberry Coconut Milk (may need 2, but I managed with 1)

Heat non-stick skillet.
Mix dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls.
Combine, making sure to evenly coat dry bits.

Fold in the yogurt!

Pour 1/4 cup of batter into hot non-stick skillet.

It got pinched a bit! Sorry.  Heehee!

Placing not even 1/2 teaspoon of So Delicious Cultured Blueberry Coconut Milk Yogurt in between.

Again.

And again!

Unfortunately my blueberries went bad. Wish I had known that yesterday. Oh well, cherries are a nice substitute!

Part of this complete breakfast- cherry and maple syrup topped pancakes, POM Wonderful Pomegranate/Cherry, & 8th Continent Soy Milk.

Pancakes turned out airy, sweet, and super duper moist.
No need for a bunch of syrup. Just a bit of fruit and a fork will do.
Plus a glass of plain soy milk of course!
POM Wonderful will be for later....
Lightly spreading yogurt in between the little cakes instead of butter adds a special element, melting beautifully onto each layer, moisturizing brown slightly crisp skin, and scenting kitchen area with fragrant blueberry aroma. It's quite pleasant considering that the only other blueberries around were the molding ones left in the fridge. (insert sad face)
Pretty yummy and awesome, this recipe is definitely a keeper, calling for early celebration- making more!!!!
But I'm sooooooo stuffed right now! Holy cow!
Let me just "moo, moo, moo" right along....